Xeno Casino
By : Tsubasa Caligrapher
Chapter 4
Disclaimer : I don't own Xenosaga ... ( sob ) ... ( sob ) ...
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" Sure ! Nothing else to do ! " and they ran back to meet Momo and Ziggy. They soon reached the Durandal and hopped aboard. Jr. and Shion started walking around the hallways, looking for the other pair.
They traveled back towards the restaurants and didn't find them yet.
" Hmmmm ... I guess next time we should decide on a meeting place eh ? Hee hee. " he lightly tapped his head and playfully stuck out his tongue.
Shion sighed and they continued their search. They went through the game room and that was when they heard, " Jr. ? "
They turned around and saw the little pink-haired girl, hanging off the neck of her blond bodyguard ( He was giving her a piggy-back ride ).
" Hey Jr. . What you up to ? " Momo asked playfully. Jr. smiled and gave her a small wave. She smiled back and jumped off Ziggy's back. Shion was glad to see that they got a couple of good workers.
The young Momo seemed energetic and hard working and the man seemed strong enough to be of good use. Shion smiled and she was even happier when she saw Jr. blush.
Shion knew she saw a little spark between the two. The man also slightly smirked but he seemed to overprotective to actually approve of this relationship.
" So ! What do you want to do for the rest of the day ? " Jr. stopped smiling and stopped to think. He wasn't really sure what they were going to do for the rest of the day.
It seemed that after a couple of minutes, none of them said anything. It was silence until her phone rang.
" Yeah ? "
" Chief ! Where are you ? "
" Huh ? What do you mean ? "
" Don't you remember ? It's Sunday ! Me and Miyuki are here waiting in the park ! "
" Oh my god ! I totally forgot ! Wait a minute ok ? " Shion looked at the others excitedly.
" I think we finally have something to do. You guys up for a basketball game ? " they all nodded excitedly ( Except Ziggy of course ) because they were all so bored of having nothing else to do. She went back to her phone.
" Allen. I'll be right over in like 10 minutes ok ? And, you don't mind if I bring some people with me do you ? "
" Sure Chief ! It's starting to get boring when it's just you, me, and Miyuki anyways. See you soon ! " Shion snapped her phone down and smiled.
" Ok you guys ! Go home and change into some appropriate gear and meet up at the park blacktop in ten ok ? " she shouted and she rushed out, after seeing them nod.
She hurridly changed into a pair of shorts and a lime green tank top. Shion ran to the refridgerator and grabbed a bottle of frozen water and cold gatorade and ran back out and put her green sneakers back on and rushed out again.
She hopped on her indigo bike and rode off to the park. Shion arrived in ten minutes flat and saw Jr. coming in on his skateboard and Momo and Ziggy just walking there from the other side of the park.
Jr. arrived and jumped off his skateboard and flipped it into his grasp. She saw that he was wearing a white t-shirt with a golden jersey over it and a pair of black shorts.
Momo was wearing jean shorts, a purple shirt, and still wearing her cap while Ziggy was wearing green shorts, a white tank top, and a yellow headband. She looked over to her left and saw Miyuki wearing her pink jersey and yellow shorts with Allen wearing a green jersey and a pair of black shorts.
Shion ran over and waved at her friends.
" Hey Miyuki, Allen ! "
" Hey Chief. "
" Hey Shion. "
" You guys ready to play ? " asked Shion playfully.
" Of course we are ! But how are we going to divide the teams ? " asked Allen questioningly.
" I'll do it ! " yelled Shion. After minutes of quick thinking, she thought up an even team. Allen, Miyuki, and Jr, VS. Shion, Ziggy, and Momo. Since their teams were decided, they got ready for the game.
Shion was going to send Ziggy up for the jump ball but as she saw the other team cower in fear as though they just realized how tall he was, she decided against it and put up Momo.
Allen saw that and sent up Jr. This was going to be more fair since they were about the same size anyway. Jr. and Momo approached the center as well as Shion. But first she asked a passerby if he could be referree and he agreed.
She told them the rules, just in case they've forgotton and after she was finished, she held out the ball. Momo and Jr. placed their hands on it and got ready.
At the split second right after the whistle sounded, Shion threw up the ball and backed away, leaving it up to the two children as to who will control the game.
They jumped at the same time but Momo had a better leap and was able to hit it to Shion. She caught it and dribbled it down the court, no one able to get in her way.
Then Allen came over to gueard her but Shion smirked, then threw it behind her and Ziggy appeared, caught it, and made a three-pointer. Everyone was amazed, except for Momo who ran up and happily hugged him.
Allen got the ball and went to the left side of the court. He checked it and threw it to Miyuki, who jumped and caught it. She saw Shion coming and quickly threw it to Jr.
Momo ran up and started to guard him, though a bit clumsily. She reached out to steal it but Jr. spun sideways and was able to run across the court.
Ziggy appeared and Jr. started to get nervous. He caught the ball between his hands and was trapped now. Jr. was running out of options now but then Allen appeared behind Ziggy.
Jr. nodded and threw it under Ziggy's open legs and Allen caught it and made a basket. The score was 3 - 2. Shion got the ball now and checked it.
She threw it to Momo who threw it to Ziggy. He threw it back to the oncoming Shion as she dribbled it down the court. Then all three of Allen's team attacked her !
Though their formation was kind of ruined when Miyuki accidentaly tripped and brang down the other two with her, and the all tumbled into Shion. They were all on top of eachother and struggling to get up that they didn't notice the basketball drop from Shion's hand and rolled away.
They stared at it rolling away ... outside of the court ... and they hurridly scrambled up.
" IT"S OUT ON YOU ! " yelled Shion and Allen at the same time, face to face and glaring. Momo and Ziggy got behind Shion and Jr. and Miyuki got behind Allen.
Momo and Jr. started to glare at eachother while Shion and Allen were still at it. Miyuki and Ziggy didn't really seem to care. But when the referree came by, they all stared at him.
He started to get nervous and chuckled out of fright. It seemed that their heads grew larger and were all staring at him, fiercly. He was getting really scared now and fished around in his pocket and pulled out a quarter.
" Heads or Tails ! " he yelled as he threw it up.
" HEADS ! " yelled Shion.
" TAILS ! " yelled Allen. The referree missed the catch and it slowly spun on the ground while rolling. Shion and Allen watched closely as the coin rolled itself into a crack and stood straight up.
Allen and Shion got angry and stomped, which led the coin to fall down and land on ...
" HEAD ! WOO HOO ! " yelled Shion and Momo, while Ziggy stood there quietly. Allen's team sighed and they went back to the court. Shion started out and threw it to Momo.
She tried to shoot but realized that she was too weak and missed but Ziggy got the rebound. He carefully threw it back to her. Ziggy got behind her and carefully motioned her arms to show her how to make a good shot.
" Hurry Momo, they're coming. " he whispered. She turned around and saw that the opposing team was coming. Momo repeated the motion Ziggy showed her and threw the ball again, and this time she made it.
" Yay ! " she shouted and ran and hugged Ziggy again. Shion smiled at how much they looked like a family.
' Were they family ? ' Shion wondered.
" Come on Shion ! We're still not done yet ! " yelled Miyuki. Shion smiled and they went back to the game. After two more hours of playing, it was a tie. 85 - 85 was the score now.
Shion's team was sitting on the park benches and resting. Shion gave her frozen water bottle to Momo since they didn't bring any water and she popped open the cap of her gatorade and gulped it down.
Allen, Jr., and Miyuki were laying down on the grass and benches, with wet and cold towels over their foreheads and sweating like crazy. Suddenly, Allen sat up.
" Just one more point ok Chief ? Winner take all ? " Shion also looked up.
" Sure. It's almost noon anyway. " she looked at her watch and saw that it was almost 6 o' clock and the sun was setting. They all got up for the last game for the day.
Jr. tried to pass the ball to Allen but Ziggy intercepted it. He dribbled it but Miyuki rushed passed him and stole the ball. But before she could go far, Shion sprinted pass and took the ball back.
As she looked back, smiling, she didn't notice the small figure of Jr. rushing pass her and taking the ball again ! But since he was a bit conceited too, he didn't notice Momo coming and taking the ball too.
She dribbled over but Allen was able to take the ball again. It soon turned into a game of cat and mouse. They ended up falling and laughing ( Except for Ziggy who stood by the basketball pole ) and ending up in a big heap. They never got that game finished but they still had a good time.
" Whoa ! It's getting late ! Well, it was great ! I haven't had this much fun in a long time ! But I gotta go back home now so maybe we'll hang out tomorrow then ? " everyone nodded to Jr.'s suggestion and he smiled. He waved goodbye and hopped on his skateboard and left.
After they couldn't see him anymore in the street lamps, Momo and Ziggy turned to them.
" Jr. was right ! We did have fun, didn't we Ziggy ? "
" Of course. "
" So maybe we should meet again tomorrow ! Hmmm, where should we meet ? Oh ! I know ! Let's swing by the Durandal after school and surprise Jr. ! " she said excitedly. Everyone smiled at how energetic she was.
" Sure. " Shion said happily.
" Well, we have to get going ! Mommy doesn't like me to be out too late. Let's go Ziggy ! " and she grabbed his hand and waved goodbye with her other and they started to walk away.
" So those our co-workers Chief ? "
" Yeah. They're great aren't they. " it was more of a statement then a question. They all agreed.
" Yeah, we haven't had this much fun in a long time you guys. Almost everytime it's more like a workout more than a game. But finally, we made some new friends. Good job recruiting Shion. " said Miyuki happily.
Shion smiled with pride. She really was lucky enough to find some really good friends and workers. She saw the sun was setting and decided it was time to go home and help prepare dinner.
She waved bye as the other two also left. Shion smiled and walked home. She was still walking through the park, thinking about what to make for dinner when BAM ! and a figure appeared out of the shadows, holding the bat which knocked Shion unconscious.
" Guess what bitch ? I'm back ! "
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DUN DUN DUN ! Oh my god ! What happened to Shion ? Review and I'll tell you soon.
